Pucketts Don't Cry
by kalyn19
Summary: This is a story about how Sam coped with her very unstable and ever-changing life, from the time her father left to the moment she stepped up the altar, told by herself and the people that matter to her. /Sam-centric/ /Seddie,Cibby,Melanie&Griffin/
1. Samantha Puckett

**Pucketts Don't Cry**

This is a story about how Sam coped with her very unstable and ever-changing life, from the time her father left to the moment she stepped up the altar, told by herself and the people that matter to her.

Sam-centric

Pairings: Sam/Freddie, Carly/Gibby, Melanie/Griffin

Disclaimer: I do not own iCarly and/or the characters stated above.

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**Chapter 1**

Samantha Puckett

Sam's POV

Pucketts don't cry.

That's what I keep telling myself every night since my father left. That was 9 years ago, and until now that chant still rings in my head.

He left for the army. Well, that's what my mother used to tell us way back then. Melanie – my twin sister – and I sort of believed it. But before all that, we were once a normal, happy family.

My father was a chef. He wasn't that well known, but he did own a diner, one that specialized in savoury dishes, further down the street. He always went there from 6:00 in the morning to 8:00 in the evening. But although he's been gone all day, he would always come back smiling, and quite literally, bringing home the bacon.

My mother was a normal housewife. She wanted to try to work, but my dad won't allow it. He said that one parent gone for the day is bad enough. He wanted her to be there for me and my twin sister.

My twin sister, Melanie, was _Little Miss Perfect_. She always comes home with a star stamp on her hand and an A on some quiz or chiz. She never gets into trouble and she always has clean hair. Everybody thinks she's so sweet and kind. Back then it didn't make me sick...

...because back then I was confident in who I was.

My name is Samantha Puckett, but you better call me Sam! The only person who can call me Samantha is my father. He makes me and Melanie feel like such princesses. That's right, someone considered me a princess, not just some rowdy tomboy. My father saw me for who I really was, a confident, happy little girl who saw the world as her meatball. He doesn't compare me to Melanie either, because although my sister and I are polar opposites, we both have our strong points.

One of my strong points is... well... being strong. And I use it well, too. I have that Puckett confidence. So you can say that we're the brains and brawn twins. But that's not all there is to me. I also do pageants. Yes, I, Samantha Puckett, was once a pageant girl. You better not laugh about it or I'll show you that strong point I was talking about. Anyway, my mother was the one who forced me into it. She said that it was... a creative outlet... for my rather aggressive and compulsive nature. And though I would be caught dead admitting it, I actually love being a pageant girl. Being on stage, showing the world how talented I really am, seeing the looks on those pretty girls' faces when they announce that I beat them at second place, felt absolutely empowering. The smiles on my family's faces when they watch me strut my stuff on stage, cheering me on... it felt marvellous.

Yeah, yeah. You're probably wondering why I'm using big words. Well, let me tell you this: I do know a thing or two about vocabulary. I just don't choose to show it. One reason is because I know they'll compare it to Melanie's universe-wide dictionary of a brain.

But this, being a pageant girl, this is where I rock. This is where Momma wins.

So now you can pretty much see why my dad loves me. To him I'm his perfect little angel, and no matter what Melanie does he'll never compare me to her. He loves us both, don't get me wrong, but he loves us each... as in individually, you dig? He sees us as Samantha, his feisty little devil, and Melanie, his sweet little angel.

Life was good. Ah, who am I kidding? Life was pretty dang great before that faithful day my daddy got taken away from us.

One day a man in a green military suit walked up to our house while we were playing. He asked who the man of the house was. Being the polite and helpful girl that she is, Melanie started to speak, but I cupped her mouth. I whispered "Mom and Dad said don't talk to strangers!" in her ear and she quickly shut her mouth. The man raised a curious eyebrow at us then continued up the porch. We followed suit, a little quieter than usual. Melanie and I used to love doing that, sneaking up on people. It made us feel like ninjas –something we thought we wanted to be way back then. He rapped on the door three times, and my mother came out, all smiles, expecting her daughters to come home with mud on our faces. It wasn't a farfetched idea, on certain days we do go home with mud on our faces, and in our hair, and on our jumpers... you get my drift. Her smile fell when she saw the tall man standing at the other side of the screen door. I instantly disliked the man, and through the corner of my eye I can see Melanie narrowing her eyes.

"Can I help you?" she asked, as polite as she wanted to be. It didn't stop the fear from creeping in her voice, though.

Who was this dude? Why did he have this effect on Mom?

"Yes, I would like to see the man of the house," the man said in a low voice.

Mom shifted her weight to the other hip. "So do I, but you and I are out of luck 'cause he gets home at about 9."

The man nodded briskly. "Very well," he said, and then turned his head slightly in our direction. "May I come in and wait for him?"

"Depends," I finally speak up from behind the tree. Melanie looked at me with a shocked expression, her big blue eyes filled with fear, for me standing up to an adult. Back then she still wasn't used to me doing that. My mother raised her eyebrows at me, a look more of curiosity than disapproval on her face. The man, much to my irritation, looked amused.

He turned to me fully and crossed his arms on his chest. "Depends on what, little missy?"

"Depends on why you want to stay," I said in the meanest voice I could muster at the age of seven. I crossed my arms over my chest, too, silently telling him I was not kidding around.

Mom went out from behind the screen door and Melanie ran to her side, hugging her left leg. She didn't speak up, though, didn't reprimand me. It'd be kind of weird if she did, to be honest. She's too cool for that. Besides, she looked interested in where this conversation was going.

The man went down on his knees, so we're eye to eye. He puts his hand on my head in a patronizing way. Man I hate it when adults treat me like a kid who can't handle the big world. Well I know I am but that doesn't stop it from being annoying. I mean, how many times did you want to kick an adult just because they looked at you like you were too young to hear the truth and that you wouldn't understand anyway? It makes my blood boil. I restrained myself from grabbing his hand and pulling that karate move my dad taught me last night after dinner.

"Well, you see, little girl, our country needs your dad."

I squinted my eyes. "What's a meat-cooking father got to do with the needs of the country?" I asked, using those big words. If he still didn't get that I was trying to talk to him seriously, I would kick his shin.

He seemed taken aback, and just when I was about to smirk he burst out laughing. Laughing! My smirk turned into a sneer and I yelled "That's it!"

As I was about to charge, a hand reached my shoulder. My mother and sister looked relieved at seeing me 'saved by the bell'. Well, Mom looked kind of disappointed at not seeing this man's butt kicked, but she had to look mature.

"What's going on here, Sammy?" my father's warm voice asked. I turned to him and grinned a second at seeing his face. I dropped it once I remembered what he stopped me from doing.

The man behind me stood straight and bowed his head curtly before stretching his hand out, a sealed envelope with a serious looking stamp on it. I glared at it, and at the man, too. Out of focus I see my mother gasp, a hand flying to her lips. My sister looked as curious and dumbfounded as I.

My father furrowed his brow before taking the envelope. "What's this?"

"A calling, Sir," the man said, "Our country needs you."

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**Hey guys! This is my first iCarly fanfiction, and it is about Sam Puckett. Now I know she, Melanie and Pam sound a bit out of character here. That's because they sort of are. I'm trying to show you the change of their characters as time progressed, and I promise when this story reaches chapter 4 or 5, it'll be the Sam, Melanie and Pam we all know and love.**

**This idea's been eating at me for a while now, and when I finally couldn't start doing my plates I gave up and wrote this. I hope you like it!**

**Please review and tell me if I should continue!**

**~kalyn19**


	2. Melanie Puckett

**Pucketts Don't Cry**

This is a story about how Sam coped with her very unstable and ever-changing life, from the time her father left to the moment she stepped up the altar, told by herself and the people that matter to her.

Sam-centric

Pairings: Sam/Freddie, Carly/Gibby, Melanie/Griffin

Disclaimer: I do not own iCarly and/or the characters stated above.

**Author's Note:** "Why is there a need to discuss Melanie's point of view in a Seddie story?" Well, I just wanted to show you guys of how Melanie sees things, mostly things about Sam. It's through her point of view that explains what kind of girl she sees Sam as, and as twins you see the value of her opinion. I incorporated her into the story because I don't want alot of Sam-self rambling... because there are just some things Sam does not admit, even to herself.

I hope you bear with me in this chapter, because it's still a valuable part of the story.

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**Chapter 2**

Melanie Puckett

Melanie's POV

Pucketts don't cry.

When my father said that, Sam, my twin sister, and I took it to heart. Now the saying doesn't bother me much – it's one of the few Puckett standards I actually live by – but what does bother me is that Sam kept it up even when Daddy was taken away.

We were devastated. One day we were just a fun, happy family, and then the next thing you know a man comes and tells my father our country needs him. I know it's mean of me, but I feel my skin crawl and I bite back a sneer every time I remember that guy. How dare he ruin our family?

I'm sorry for my rudeness. I must sound prissy, but right now I'm really peeved. That man took the person that made everything right in the world.

_Sam was about to seriously hurt the man. I could tell by the way her face was contorted with anger. A part of me wants to run there and stop her... she's just a girl after all! She can't take on a grown man— oh wait... she can— but that doesn't mean she should! She could seriously get hurt and..._

_Just then Daddy came up from behind her and put a hand on my sister's shoulder. I sighed in relief then gave my dad a beaming smile. I felt Mom shift her weight a little, and I bet she's happy to see him, too. Sam turns to him, her gold unruly curls flying around her shoulder. I told her a bunch of times to tie it in a neat ponytail— it lessens the chance of mud soiling it— but she just sticks her tongue out at me and tells me that's just the way she likes her hair to be._

To be honest, I am kind of jealous of Sam, and the way she can wear her hair. I don't know why but every time I try to wear my hair loose, I feel this prickling in my neck and I can't stand the heat. Another is that it gets in my eyes when I'm doing my homework, which I do most of the time. It just makes me look unruly. And I can't pull it off, unlike my twin sister, Sam. She has that wild beauty to her, while I have the good clean beauty to mine.

Now I bet you're wondering why my mother didn't ask me to join the pageants. Well, truthfully, I would have loved to be a pageant girl... and I bet you're rolling your eyes and saying 'Well, big surprise there!', but hear me out. The reason why I didn't join the pageants was, although me and my sister look alike (as in really alike) she has that added charm to her. The kind of charm that makes her stand out from all the other boring Barbie dolls out there. You'd probably argue that I have that sweet thing to me, the kind that will make the judges swoon when they hear my answer. That's really flattering and all, but truth is I have a serious case of stage fright.

Yeah, pretty dumb reason, huh?

But it's the real reason behind it. Well, that and the fact that I have two left feet. Sam is a great dancer, I cannot stress that enough, and back then I was extremely jealous of that fact.

"_Where are we going, Mommy?" I asked. I hope I don't irritate her, though, because it's the third time I asked that. She never answered back... she and Daddy were discussing something. Sam was right beside me, and she had that annoyed look on her face, but I could tell she was a bit afraid (though she'd never own up to it). They were talking about her again._

_Sam got into a fight with someone in class. That someone was bugging me, calling me names and stuff. Names like nerd, bookworm, teacher's pet... it drove me insane. Now I know I can beat this jerk up if I wanted to, and oh how I wanted to. But that just isn't me. I'm the sweet girl, the straight A star of the class. It would have been on my permanent record, and it would ruin my chances of getting into a good college._

_My sister could see that I was biting back my rage, and so she stepped up and grabbed the jerk's collar. "Listen, you dweeb, you better leave my sister alone or else I'm gonna shove this fist up your mouth!"_

_The boy scoffed. "Like you could really do that."_

_Sam raised an eyebrow, an evil smirk on her face. I struggled to hide my grin. Oh that jerk's in for it now._

"_Want to see me try?" was my sister's sassy response._

_And just as she was about to demonstrate, the teacher came back from lunch. She was taken aback by the scene before her. I stood up, gaping, trying to explain to the teacher what was happening._

"_Samantha Puckett, put that boy down!" she screeched unappealingly._

_Sam glared at her. "It's Sam!" she shouted. She still didn't let go of the boy, and her fist was still poised near his mouth._

_The teacher look indignant. "Sam Puckett put that boy down or I will call your parents."_

_I gasped, about to argue, but I couldn't find my voice. What kind of a Puckett am I? Gosh!_

_My sister gave me a fleeting glance before she dropped the boy, or rather, threw him on the ground. "Have it your way!" was her careless response. The class laughed, and the teacher looked bemused._

"_That is it! I am calling your parents right now!"_

"_Ms. Thorberry, please don't!"_

_The class turned to me. I finally got my voice to speak up. Sam looked at me, and there was that twinkle in her eye that said she was interested in what I had to say._

_The teacher turned to me and raised her eyebrow. "Melanie, darling, don't worry. I'll leave you out of it so your reports will be squeaky clean!" she said in her shockingly sweet voice._

_My sister and I shuddered._

"_Well, you can't do that... because the reason Sam got into a fight (or was about to kick the guy's butt)was because of me. He was calling me names and such! It was inappropriate so Sam got in between and defended me." Wow that was a long speech._

"_Well," she turned to Sam, "is that true?"_

_I looked at Sam, my big blue eyes pleading her to agree with me. She discreetly shook her head and looked at the teacher with intense eyes. "No, that's stupid. Melanie can fight her own battles, for all I care. That boy was intimidating me. He said that I couldn't put my whole fist in his mouth and well, you know how Momma loves a challenge." By the end of her explanation she really looked proud of herself. I, on the other hand, had a look of disbelief on my face. She could have gotten away! Why oh why does she always have to make it look like we are both tough, that Pucketts don't need any help defending themselves, and that I am not just some sissy who depends on her sister for help on these matters._

_Why can't she just own up (in public) to the fact that she cares about me?_

"_Ah," the teacher said in a tone that meant things made sense. "Well, here's a challenge for you: explaining to your mom and dad why you have detention for two straight weeks!"_

_Sam rolled her eyes. "Wow, that's a tough one!"_

_The teacher look steamed... and just when she was about to talk I heard my voice squeak._

"_She can't have detention these two weeks!"_

_Once again, all eyes were on me. It was unnerving. I stuttered when I tried to look for an explanation. "Well, my Mom signed Sam and I up for dance lessons that start right after school. It kind of starts this week..." I lied feebly. I felt nauseated and empowered at the same time._

_The whole room was silent, probably pondering on Sam wearing a tutu and dancing like a girly girl. I bet she'd kill me later, had I not saved her from detention. I looked over at her and she had a raised eyebrow, but she looked at me like a proud mama who finally got her baby daughter to take her first step. A look that said, "I'm proud of you, kid!"_

_I bit back a grin, wondering why I haven't lied so much before._

"_Oh," was all my teacher could say. "Since I trust you, Melanie, I'll take your word for it." Oh right, the guilt. My shoulders slumped and I looked helplessly at Sam. She just raised her hands in a two thumbs up. "On the other hand, I still have to call your parents."_

_I gulped, then nodded weakly. Sam shrugged and went to stand next to me. She put her hand on my shoulder and had an in-your-face look as she said "Go ahead! See for yourself!"_

_And that was when I had to tell my mother and father I lied. They looked taken aback, "Now you sound like a Puckett!" my dad cheered from the side. Mom just grinned and shook it off. When the teacher saw them they quickly changed into mature, disapproving adults. Sam and I tried so hard not to burst out laughing. The teacher asked them why on earth Sam needed dance lessons, and Mom smoothly replied that she was signing Sam up for a beauty pageant coming up next month._

_You should have seen the look on our teacher's face. There's only one thing that would beat that!_

_My sister's expression. Absolutely priceless._

_Though I have to say, my jaw dropped open then. My father looked at my mother like she had grown a second head. Finally my mother spoke up,_

"_What? I think it'll be a good, creative outlet for her competitive nature and her need to prove herself right all the time."_

_Dad seemed to ponder it for a moment, and so did I. We had this same expression on our face... the Puckett thinking face... but Sam looked totally disgusted. As her twin, I could tell that that look on her face was a sign that she wanted to argue with Mom. I bet she's thinking 'What worse way can you possibly punish me?' but my Mom looked dead straight at the teacher, acting as if everything she said made sense._

_And that is why we ended up on the back car seat while my parents discussed in front of us. _

_We parked near a dance studio somewhere in town, and I couldn't believe they were pushing through with my lie. Sam couldn't believe it either._

"_You cannot be serious!" was my sister's angry greeting to my Dad who opened the door. He took her hand and she grudgingly went out the car. He stretched his hand to me and I cheerfully took it._

_Mom came around and smiled at me. "That was a pretty darn good idea, Melanie."_

_Sam, who had her back to her, mimicked her mockingly. "Everything that comes out of Melanie's mouth is a good idea!" she rolled her eyes._

_I was a bit hurt by her sarcasm, but Dad reassured her that that wasn't the case. He said that it was all a coincidence that led to what might be a really good idea._

"_Well I don't like it!" she said defiantly. "Why don't you just make Melanie do that girly stuff?"_

_Dad went down so that they were eye level and put a hand on her shoulder. "Trust me, this will be good for you!"_

_So we went to the dance studio, signed up, got our set of clothes to change into, and started._

Imagine my surprise when I saw my twin sister was actually good at it... better than me. Now don't think I'm shallow! I'm thinking why Sam is better than me at something girly. But I guess that's what I get for being the brainy of the brains & brawn twins.

You can't have everything.

I never realized how much I would despise that sentence the day that man came and took my father away.

_He stretched out his hand, as if to give something to my dad. I let go of my mother's leg to take a closer look at it. Right timing I did, because in his hand was an envelope. My mother leaned on the door frame for support, a hand flying to her open mouth. Sam looked bewildered, but curious at the same time. I bet we had identical looks on our faces, for I was feeling the same thing._

_My father looked at the envelope, then as he took it he asked, "What's this?"_

_The man retrieved his empty hand. "A calling, Sir."_

_My sister and I scrunched up our nose in confusion._

_He continued, "Our country needs you."_

Those four words unknowingly tore my heart apart.

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**Okay! So that was a long chapter! I guess I really got into the being-Melanie thing!**

**Anyway, thank you so much to the people who reviewed! I really didn't expect more than one review! Well, one review that said I stink and I should just crawl up in a cave and cry. But you guys gave such encouraging reviews! So thanks!**

**Please review again! :D And if you're new to this story, I'm so glad you took the time to read this! Thank you so much! Please review, too! Pretty please?**

**The next chapter will be up... hopefully tomorrow if I can. It's finals week!**

**Again, thanks everybody!**

**~kalyn19**


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